This combo might sound strange, but the sweetness of the lychees
and the prawns and the saltiness of the prosciutto complement one
another very nicely, and the lychee liqueur gives the kebabs a
superb aroma. This is ideal as a cocktail party appetizer, but also
goes well with rice and a green salad as a main course. (Note:
Wrapping prawns with thin slices of prosciutto is pretty fussy. If
you’re in a hurry, this dish tastes great even without this
embellishment.)

Drain the canned lychees, setting aside 12 lychees and 3/4 cup |
175 mL of the syrup. Combine the lychees and syrup with the
liqueur, dried chiles, shallot, ginger, coconut milk, and oil.
Gently toss the prawns in the mixture in a medium bowl and marinate
them for 1 hour at room temperature or 3 hours in the
refrigerator.
Remove the prawns and the fruit from the marinade, reserving the
liquid. Wrap each prawn with half a slice of the prosciutto, as if
you are putting a little belt around the middle of the prawn,
taking care that about half of the prawn is still visible. Thread
the prosciutto-wrapped prawns onto presoaked bamboo skewers,
placing a lychee after every second prawn. (For cocktail party
canapés, thread 1 lychee and two prawns on each skewer.)
Prepare the grill for medium direct heat. While the grill is
heating, pour the reserved marinade into a medium saucepan and
bring it to a slow simmer over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch with
the water and pour it into the liquid. Bring it to a boil and
simmer it for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is shiny and
thick. Set it aside.
Oil the cooking grate, place the skewers on the grill, cover them
and cook them for no more than 1 or 2 minutes per side, or until
the prawns are barely cooked through. Serve the kebabs drizzled
with the sauce and garnished with chopped mint and a squeeze of
lime.

Planked
Caraway-crusted Monkfish with Tomato and Green Onion Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Monkfish is often referred to as the poor man’s lobster because it
has very firm, rich, flavorful white flesh. The fillet looks kind
of like a pork tenderloin, and it cooks up very nicely on a plank.
The tomato and green onion sauce nicely offsets the strong flavor
of the caraway-crusted fish.

Lightly toast the caraway seeds in a dry sauté pan, transfer the
caraway to a plate to cool, and set it aside.
Season the fillet with salt and pepper. Combine the olive oil,
minced garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl and coat the fillet
with the mixture. Sprinkle all but ½ Tbsp | 7.5 mL of the caraway
seeds evenly over the fillet. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and
mix them together thoroughly. Set the sauce aside.
Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5–10 minutes, or until the
chamber temperature rises above 500°F | 260°C. Rinse the soaked
plank and place it on the cooking grate. Cover the grill and heat
the plank for 4–5 minutes, or until it starts to throw off a bit of
smoke and crackles lightly. Reduce the heat to medium.
Place the fish on the plank and cook it for 15–20 minutes, turning
it halfway through the cooking time, until the fish is springy to
the touch or has an internal temperature of 135°F | 57°C.
Cut the fish into medallions and serve it with a dollop of the
sauce, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and a tiny drizzle of olive
oil. Garnish it with the reserved seeds and the green
onions.